What is modern medical acupuncture (Western medical
acupuncture)?
Modern
medical acupuncture (a.k.a Western medical acupuncture—WMA) is needle therapy
based on the modern understanding of how the body works. Traditional
Chinese acupuncture used a complicated system of ancient ideas that are
not easy for modern health practitioners to understand or accept today.
But many of us find that acupuncture can be understood in
scientific terms. This makes it easier to use in a modern setting, and
it allows researchers to investigate acupuncture in terms that make
sense in a modern scientific context. Modern medical acupuncture either
ignores the traditional ideas of channels ('meridians') and acupuncture
'points' completely or interprets them in a different way.
What's this dry needling business?
'Dry needling' is a term used by some health professionals. It means
inserting a needle without injecting anything (injection treatment would
be 'wet needling'). 'Dry needling' is simply another name for modern
medical acupuncture. It was coined by people who wanted to distinguish
their form of treatment from traditional Chinese acupuncture but it
probably generates more confusion than clarity.
Isn't the traditional version more
authentic/better?
Traditionalists claim that modern medical
acupuncture can treat 'simple' problems but that the traditional
version is needed for more complicated situations. There is no good
evidence to support these claims. Practitioners of the modern
version treat a wide range of conditions successfully. Contrary to
what is often believed, acupuncture in China today is mostly done in
the modern way. The journal Acupuncture in Medicine, the
official organ of the BMAS, which only publishes papers on modern
acupuncture, has many scientific papers on acupuncture by Chinese
authors.
How can you learn acupuncture in a short
course like yours?
The modern version of acupuncture is easy
to learn for health professionals because it is an extension of what
they already know. It makes use of the training they already have
and applies it in a different way.
What are your qualifications for teaching
acupuncture?
I have practised acupuncture since 1977. I am a
member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society and hold the Diploma
in Medical Acupuncture (DipMedAc) awarded by the Society. I served on
the Council of the Society for many years and am a past vice-president
of it. I have published three acupuncture textbooks as well as many
papers on acupuncture in peer-reviewed journals. I have contributed two
chapters to Medical Acupuncture: A Western Scientific Approach
(2nd edition): Elsevier 2016 and another to the Oxford Textbook of
Musculoskeletal Medicine (2nd edition): OUP 2015. I have been
holding acupuncture training courses since 1981; over 6000 health
professionals have attended these courses.
Shall I get hands-on experience on the course?
Most definitely. Practical experience is a central part of the course.
Participants have the opportunity to practise the techniques on one
another under supervision. For this reason the number of
participants at each course is kept low to allow full one-to-one
teaching.
Shall I be able to practise acupuncture after the course?
Yes, that's the purpose of the course. You need to practise the
techniques as much as possible in order to acquire the necessary skill
and experience.
Who is your course recognised by?
Acupuncture is not regulated in Britain at present so this
does not arise; there is no body charged with the recognition of
acupuncture training. However, the course is recognised by the
British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) as covering the required
curriculum for the Certificate in Medical Acupuncture (CMA—see
below).
What qualification does the course
provide?
As acupuncture is not regulate in Britain no
official acupuncture 'qualification' is available. All course
participants receive a Certificate of Attendance which indicates
that they have demonstrated safe needling skills. If they choose to
become members of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS)
they may apply for the Certificate in Medical Acupuncture offered by the
Society to its members (see next 2 questions)
Can I join the British Medical Acupuncture Society
after the course?
The British Medical Acupuncture Society
(BMAS) is open to all statutorily regulated health professionals. There
is no requirement to have attended a course before becoming a member, so
membership does not, in itself, constitute any kind of qualification
(but see the next question). It merely indicates that the practitioner
concerned is interested in acupuncture. Members who practise
acupuncture, as most do, are expected to adhere to specified ethical
standards.
What Certificates does the BMAS offer its
members?
The BMAS offers a Certificate in Medical
Acupuncture to its members. They are expected to submit a number of
cases for approval and to have given evidence of awareness of the
safety aspects of acupuncture. The CMA indicates that the member
concerned has achieved a certain level of training and experience.
Members who have obtained this Certificate may opt later to apply
for the Diploma in Medical Acupuncture (DipMedAc), which is based on the
demonstration of more extensive experience of acupuncture.
Who is eligible to join this course?
The course is open to most types of health professionals who
are statutorily regulated, such as doctors, nurses, podiatrists,
osteopaths, chiropractors, and physiotherapists. The course is also
suitable for health practitioners whose regulatory body is overseen by
the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), provided their professional
body accepts that acupuncture falls within the scope of practice of
their profession. At present this would include members of the British
Association of Sports and Rehabilitation Therapists and members of the
British Acupuncture Council.
How does your course differ from other courses
in modern medical acupuncture?
This course uses very few
classic 'points', and regards the points terminology as simply a
shorthand to record where the needle has been inserted. On the other
hand, a lot of attention is given to needling technique and judging the
right amount of stimulus to apply. In many cases this is more important
than the exact site of needling. In my view the best way to practise
acupuncture is to grasp the underlying principles, which are based on
neurophysiology, and apply them intelligently. This is much better than
learning a lot of rules or prescriptions. See Where to place the needles and for
how long? for further details.
What reading should I do before the course?
It is not essential to read anything before coming on the course but
some suggestions for reading are available.
It is a good idea to refresh your knowledge of anatomy if this has become
a little rusty!
How should I go on learning after the course?
The best way to do this is to join the BMAS, which provides its members
with many ways of enhancing their knowledge.
Do you offer training in advanced
acupuncture?
There are two answers to this, short and
long. The short answer is that there is no 'advanced acupuncture'!
Modern medical acupuncture is really an extension of your existing
skills and there is no large body of esoteric knowledge that has to be
acquired. The longer answer is that this course is 'advanced' in at
least two ways. First, you are expected to think about what
you are doing and to adapt your treatment according to the nature of the
underlying problem, so it doesn't depend on rote learning or rigid
prescriptions. Second, it teaches periosteal (bone) acupuncture, which
is a valuable technique that often doesn't figure in courses for
newcomers.
What should I do about insurance to practise acupuncture?
Acupuncture is normally covered by your existing professional insurance.
You should inform your defence society that you are using acupuncture
and let them have a photocopy of your certificate of attendance.
What is the evidence base for acupuncture?
The evidence is of two kinds. Research has provided plausible
scientific evidence for the effects of needling. There is also evidence
for the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in a number of conditions,
although, owing to the difficulty of devising suitable control
procedures for acupuncture, 'blinding' in clinical trials is hard to
achieve.
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works at a number of different levels. Neurotransmitters
such as CGRP and substance P are released in the tissues. Changes
occur in the pain pathways in the spinal cord, both segmentally and
extra-segmentally. There are also changes in various brain areas,
including the brain stem, limbic system, and cortex. Taken together,
these effects provide a rational basis for acupuncture. But there is
nothing magic about a needle! There are similarities between the
effects of acupuncture and other forms of manual therapy, such as
physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic. Probably all these can
be thought of as methods of relieving pain by using sensory
stimulation to modulate the pain pathways.,
I'm pregnant. Can I attend the course?
Acupuncture appears to be safe in pregnancy so there is no reason why
you should not attend the course if you are pregnant. You should let us
know you are pregnant if you choose to attend.
How can I contact you?
Please use the inquiry form.